


Shingeki no Free!

by mordere



Category: Free!, Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Gen, M/M, sometimes crack
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-08-04
Updated: 2013-08-07
Packaged: 2017-12-22 10:12:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,014
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/911999
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mordere/pseuds/mordere
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A boy about their age or younger gracefully steps up to the starting block, scowling and muttering darkly as he wipes at his goggles with his fingers. “Shit. They’re dirty .”</p><p>“Who’s that, Armin?”</p><p>“I’m not sure. I think his name is Levi. He transferred into our swim class last week.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. PROLOGUE

**PROLOGUE**  
  
 _The water is alive, like a monster. Once you dive in, it bares its teeth and attack. But there’s nothing to fear. Don’t give in to the water. Don’t struggle. Fight back. Thrust your fingers like blades through the surface, and carve an opening across its skin. Slide your body through that opening. Fly swiftly across the stream. Move your arms, your head, your chest, ..._  
  
Watching Eren forcefully swim his way through the water, Mikasa quietly murmurs to herself, “His swimming always looks so powerful.”  
  
“Yep, but Eren looks so happy in the water. Like a dolphin.” Armin cheerfully replies.  
  
“A monster dolphin, maybe. A titan dolphin.”  
  
“That doesn’t make sense, Mikasa.”  
  
“The way Eren swims doesn’t make sense, Armin.”  
  
A boy about their age or younger gracefully steps up to the starting block, scowling and muttering darkly as he wipes at his goggles with his fingers. “Shit. They’re dirty .”  
  
“Who’s that, Armin?”  
  
“I’m not sure. I think his name is Levi. He transferred into our swim class last week.”  
  
Apparently unsatisfied but no longer willing to care about the smudges on his goggles, Levi swiftly dives in moments after Eren slows at a turn, immediately catching up to him with sleek movements. They both pick up speed, unconsciously racing one another. Eren, albeit a little stiff at turns, is strong with his powerful kicks and long strides, but Levi, even with his small stature, somehow possesses a deadly grace that allows him to cut through the water like air. They both make a quick burst towards the end, where Mikasa waits for Eren with a hand.  
  
“Nobody can beat you when you're in the water, Eren.”  
  
“You don’t have to help me, Mikasa. I can help myself up.” Eren sulkily replies, even as he takes her hand.  
  
“That was so cool, Eren. I want to swim like you.” Armin says.

Levi swims to the edge, and with his goggles off, stares right at Eren. “Not bad.”

“What Levi means to say is, you're an incredibly strong swimmer - as strong as the rumours say.” A rather gangly girl joins in, her goggles still on despite being out of the water. “Eren Yeager, right? What's your time?”  
  
 “I don’t care about my time.” Eren quickly spits out.  
  
Easily laughing off his rather unfriendly answer, she goes on. “That’s just like the rumours said too. My name is Hanji, and shortie over there is Levi.”  
  
Apart from an infinitesimal cringe, Levi doesn’t allow himself to react to the name calling, and slowly pulls himself up the edge of the pool, eyes never leaving Eren. Despite being a few inches shorter, Eren feels small under the weight of his stare as Levi leans in and slowly whispers, “Hey, Yeager. Enter the relay with me.”  
  
Eren almost gives in.  
  
“I only do freestyle.” That’s right.

 _I don’t care about swimming faster times. All I want is to feel the water, with my skin, my eyes, my soul. To never doubt how alive it makes me feel. To fight against the current. To not resist the water, but welcome it. We accept one another. . ._  
  
(3 years later)  
  
 _… yeah right, what crazy shit._  
  
Eren ungracefully comes up for air, his head bursting through  the surface of the water, swishing foam and a rubber ducky over the edge of the tub and halfway across the bathroom floor. With his legs hanging off the side of the too small tub, he roughly drags his fingers back and forth through his damp hair. _‘There was some freaky shit going through my head back then.'_  
  
 _‘My late mum used to say ... when you're ten, they call you a titan. When you're fifteen, you're a half titan. Once you hit twenty, you're just plain human. What a titan is, I have no idea. But that's about four more years until I'm just plain human.’_  
  
He roughly lets his head fall into the water again. _‘Ah, four more years. I can’t wait to stop fighting.’_

 


	2. CHAPTER 1 - Training Squad Reunion

**CHAPTER 1 - Training Squad Reunion**  
  
Armin dashes across the sidewalk, up the stairs, almost dropping his books as he narrowly avoids bumping into a grumpy old woman. “Young lady, have you no manners?” “I’m a boy ma’am! And I’m sorry!” Midway the third flight of stairs he has to climb to make his way to Eren and Mikasa’s place, he suddenly stops to kneel at the side and wish a small tortoise good morning, gently petting it on the head, before hurrying along on his way again.  
  
Mikasa answers the door with toast in her mouth. “Erensh's shtill in ghe bfath.“  
  
“Oh, come on. Really?” Quickly making his way though the hall and into the bathroom, with Mikasa behind him, “He's still there, huh …Eren, I'm coming in!”

Just as he steps through the door into their tiny bathroom, Eren breaks to the surface with a loud gasp, before shaking his head like a dog drying itself off. Armin says nothing but grimaces as Eren’s wild movements fling droplets of water off his hair, most of it landing on Armin's new school uniform.  
  
Mikasa comes in a moment later, sparing herself from Eren’s ‘titan dog attack’, _(“What’s a titan, seriously? Why does everyone keep saying that?”)_ with a hand out to Eren.  
  
“It’s time go to, Eren.”  
  
“I always tell you, Mikasa. You don’t have to help me, I can help myself up.” Eren says, even as he sulkily accepts her hand.  
  
Two pairs of eyes hungrily trail the water sliding off Eren’s toned body as he slowly stands to get out of the tub, expecting to see the tiny black Speedo Eren usually has on when he swims _(“That thing looks indecent.” “I like to feel free, Armin.” “I think it looks fine, Eren.” “Thank you, Mikasa.”)_ , but before little-Yeager (Author’s note: I mean his dick) barely sneaks its way into Armin and Mikasa’s line of sight, Mikasa pushes him off with a shriek, causing Eren to fall back into the water with an ominous thud of his head against the bathroom tiles. Armin blushes and immediately turns to stare at the rubber ducky on the floor behind them.  
  
"What the hell, Mikasa?"  
  
“Eren, you’re naked!"  
  
Even though she's blushing as hard as Armin, Eren notices that she hasn’t averted her gaze.  
  
"It's a bath. Do you take a bath with your clothes on?”

“But you usually swim with your Speedo on.”  
  
“How am I supposed to swim in a bath tub? Never mind. Now get out and let me get changed, or we're going to be late for school."  
  
“I’m sorry, Eren. I was just surprised. I won’t push you off next time.”  
  
 _‘That’s my line.’_ Armin thinks. Also, _‘Girl, you’re coming on way too strong.’_  
  
Sopping wet, Eren pulls on a sinful pair of tight and silky black briefs, strikingly similar to his favourite Speedo, heads to the freezer for some meat, then throws it on the stove.  
  
“Wait, why are you grilling meat?” Armin, ever the curious one, asks.  
  
“I haven’t had breakfast. Gotta have meat.”

“I can make toast for you, if you want.” Mikasa suggests.  
  
“Gotta have meat.” That’s a no, then.  
  
“You're dripping wet, Eren. At least put an apron on.”  
  
“I think Eren needs a towel, Mikasa. Aren't you cold, Eren?”  
  
“Gotta have meat.” Now.  
  
“Still, … banana milk … with grilled meat?”  
  
They both pull a face at Eren's choice of breakfast.  
  
“You guys don't know what you're missing out on.”  
  
\- - -  
  
“So, if I didn’t show up, were the two of you going to skip the first day of school just like how you skipped out on last week's welcoming orientation for first years?”  
  
“I wasn't feeling very well.”  
  
“Eren wouldn't get out of the tub.”  
  
“Well, we're all in the same class. Our homeroom teacher is a man called Keith Shadis. Our classmates have already given him a nickname - ‘Shadis the Titan Slayer’. There's rumours of him having been in the military.”  
  
 _'What's with the titan mania?'_ Eren thinks to himself as they walk past the beach. _‘It’s so crowded. Someone needs to annihilate all the tourists so I can swim in the sea.'_  
  
“Eren, I'll help you annihilate all the tourists so you can swim in the sea.”  
  
Armin cheerfully ignores their comments.  
  
\- - -

“Irene Yeager.”  
  
"Sir, Eren is a boy." Mikasa helpfully corrects their teacher during roll call.  
  
His classmates snigger. Eren ignores them, and thinks of how he spent the whole of yesterday jerking off to the water … uh, he meant .. in the water. That’s right.  
  
“Armin Alert.”  
  
“It’s Armin Arlert, sir. Present!”

“What kind of stupid name is that?”  
  
“My grandfather named me, sir.”  
  
“Connie Springer.”  
  
Nobody answers. None of the seats are empty, so all eyes eventually land upon the boy dozing off with his head on the desk, which Mr. Shadis suddenly grabs with both his hands.  
  
"Wake up boy!" He thunders.  
  
Connie jolts awake with a shock.  
  
"When I’m doing roll call, I expect you to be present, or absent. And when you're present, that usually means you're -"  
  
 _Sluorrp._  
  
All heads turn to stare at the source of the loud, slurping noise, a girl sucking on a jumbo-sized Slushie. Mr. Shadis drops Connie's head like a hot potato.  
  
"Hey, brat."  
  
Thirty pairs of eyes glued to the ominous sight widen further when the girl doesn’t answer or show any sign of stopping, still obliviously slurping away. Mr. Shadis steps in front of her desk. She continues ignoring him.  
  
"What are you doing?" He forcefully slams both hands on her desk, “I am motherfucking talking to you!”

She gulps loudly. And finally puts the drink down.  
  
“Who the fuck do you think you are?”  
  
“I’m Sasha Blaus, sir.”  
  
“Sasha Blaus. What is that thing you're drinking.”  
  
“It’s a Titan Slushie, sir.”  
  
 _‘Titans again.’_ Eren thinks.  
  
“Why. Why would you choose to drink it now.”  
  
“Slushies are much more delicious when they're cold and slushy, sir. I thought I should drink it before it melts and gets watery, and …”  
  
Out of sheer terror, Eren's mind blanks out for the rest of that absurd and explosive conversation. Nevertheless, what he is certain of is that everyone in class that day walked away knowing the true meaning of terror, and to never screw around in Mr. Shadis’ class unless they wanted a three hour detention with a complimentary 20 laps around the school field.

\- - -  
  
“Eren, I made lunch for you.”  
  
“Let’s have lunch on the roof.” Armin cheerfully leads them both to the stairwell.  
  
 _‘She's like my mum. They both are.’_  
  
Some voices drift over from the second year floor, echoing as they make their way up.  
  
“Come on, shortie, I’m hungry.”  
  
“Let go, you shitty glasses!”  
  
 _‘It sounds familiar,’_ but before Eren can scour through his memory, a dreaded face appears at the top of the stairs, dazed eyes glued to Mikasa. _‘Oh god, He goes to this school too?’_  
  
“Hey, Mikasa.”  
  
When she doesn’t answer, nor show any sign of recognition, his smile starts to falter.  
  
“Kirstein, was it?” Armin takes pity on him.  
  
“Jean is fine. We used to swim together, don’t you remember?”

“Oh. Oh! I remember now. How long has it been, Jean?”  
  
They search for a spot on the roof while reminiscing about their shared past, and before long, two other classmates join them for lunch.  
  
“I’m Reiner. He’s Bertholdt.”

“Are you guys homos?” Jean suddenly blurts out, looking like he had no control over his words. “Cause, I think homos are fine. I mean, while I’m certainly popular with the ladies..” a subtle glance towards Mikasa, “I can definitely appreciate the beauty of the male form as well…” a not so subtle leer towards Eren. Nobody says a word.  
  
“Eren, do you like boys?” Mikasa is the first to break the awkward silence.  
  
“Not really.”  
  
“So you like girls, right?” Mikasa tentatively asks with a determined face.

“Not really.”  
  
“What on earth do you jerk off to then?” Jean face palms.  
  
“Maybe he’s asexual?” Reiner helpfully suggests.  
  
“Eren is H2O sexual.” Armin corrects him.  
  
“What?”  
  
Unsure of whether or not their new friends are joking or if Eren really does have some weird water fetish, the topic of conversation thankfully switches over to swimming soon enough.  
  
“Are you guys going to join the swim club? The school has three indoor, full-sized pools.” Jean tries persuading Reiner and Bertholdt to try out for the team.  
  
“I'll join if Eren joins.” Mikasa says, despite not knowing how to swim.  
  
“No way. I’ve quit swimming.”  
  
“You still swim in the sea, when its not crowded.” Armin says.  
  
“And in the tub.” Mikasa adds.  
  
“What does that have to do with anything? It just means I like long baths.” Eren retorts, choosing to ignore Armin's comment about swimming in the sea.

“Why'd you quit? How could you of all people quit?” Jean grabs Eren by the shoulders, and knocks him to the floor, looking like he’s about to kiss him. Mikasa moves to push Jean away, but Armin holds her off.  
  
“We're not little kids anymore. Things aren't how they used to be.”  
  
“That doesn’t make any sense. Hey, Mikasa, talk some sense into Eren -”  
  
“It’s none of your business, Jean. I can do whatever the hell I want!” Eren cuts him off before he has a chance to finish his sentence.  
  
“Eren can do whatever he wants.” Mikasa reaffirms.  
  
Armin tells Reiner and Bertholdt not to worry about the escalating commotion, and to just sit back and enjoy the show. "They've always been this way, you see."

_‘Jean hasn’t changed in the slightest, after all these years. Neither has Mikasa. Neither has Armin. I wonder, what about … him?’_

Eren feels his gaze drift to the school garden below as Jean alternately begs, blackmails, and pressures Eren into joining the swim team. _(“My faith in humanity, Yeager, is riding on that tiny little Speedo of yours.”)_ His eyes meet that of a girl wearing a green bow, a second year student. Tall and gangly, with thick glasses, and her hair done up. She’s walking backwards while talking to someone with their back to Eren, and he finds that he cannot tear his eyes away. She suddenly grins and winks at him, but Eren thinks it could be a trick of the light.

“Hey, Eren. How about we check out the school's pool, and maybe have a little race?”  
  
His attention snaps back to Jean at the overly condescending tone.  
  
“I think only club members are allowed to use the pool.” Armin tells them.  
  
“You could try sneaking in at night.” Reiner suggests.  
  
“I'm not racing you.”  
  
“Why? Are you scared, Yeager?”  
  
“Eren's not scared.”  
  
“Thank you, Mikasa.”  
  
“Stop taking his side! Or has it been so long, that Eren’s even forgotten how to swim? Come on, how long has it been since you've been in a pool? Don't you want to swim?”  
  
“I don’t want to swim.”  
  
Even Mikasa lifts her eyebrows at him.  
  
“A pool is much bigger than our bathtub, Eren.”  
  
Eren sighs, feeling his resolve slip away. “If I win, will you quit pestering me about joining the swim team?”

\- - -  
  
(Later that night)  
  
“What the hell was that?” Jean yelps and jumps a feet high.  
  
“Are you scared, Kirstein? Relax. It’s just my phone.”  
  
“Is this really alright?” Armin asks.  
  
“This was Jean's idea in the first place, anyway. You guys even encouraged him.”  
  
“… Wait, let‘s walk together, Mikasa!” Jean grabs on to her sleeve, while she holds on to Eren’s arm. Armin boldly walks on ahead of all of them. _(‘Pussies.’)_

“ARE WE GOING TO SWIM OR NOT? LETS HURRY UP!” Eren yanks his arm away and hastily jogs down the hall.  
  
“Wait, Eren!”  
  
“What are you brats doing here.”  
  
Eren feels his heart stop at the sound of that familiar voice.  
  
“Yeager.”  
  
“Who’s that, Armin?”  
  
“I can’t tell. It’s too dark.”  
  
“Levi…”  
  
“You shouldn't be here.” Levi stares at Eren and ignores the rest of them behind him.  
  
“Is that Levi? From our old swim class?” Armin asks.  
  
“You guys know him?”  
  
“He left before you joined us, Jean.”  
  
“Are you on the swim team? That’s great, I was just telling Eren he should -”  
  
“Forget it. I don't want to hear this shit. I'm leaving.” Levi turns to walk away.

 _Levi. Levi, wait … …_ “Wait!”  
  
Just as time begins to move again, and the sensation of his feet return, enough for Eren to finally place one foot in front of the other, enough to chase and go after Levi, another voice freezes Eren to the core.  
  
“WHAT’S WITH ALL THIS SCREAMING. YOU FUCKING KIDS HAVE NO PERMISSION TO BE HERE.” Mr. Shadis - Titan Slayer - appears.  
  
Eren cranes his head to look for Levi, but he's gone. The four of them gulp, and pray to the gods for mercy.  
  
“What do you have to say for yourselves?”  
  
Silence.  
  
“Uhm, …” Armin tries, “Li Bai once said, in human life, accomplishment must bring total joy.” Confused silence. Armin rambles on, “Do not allow for an empty goblet to face the moon.” Nobody responds to that.

“I think what Armin is trying to say sir, is YOLO MOFO?” Jean spits out.  
  
Caught up in the spirit of their awkward verbal diarrhoea , Mikasa adds, “It would be foolish not to drink from the glass placed before you, sir.”  
  
“ ... .. YOU. FUCKING. BRATS …”  
  
\- - -

(The next day)  
  
 _‘Was that a dream?’_  
  
“Last night wasn’t a dream, Eren. You fell asleep. Lunch is almost over.”  
  
“Mikasa, … was that really Levi?”  
  
“I thought he went abroad to train?”  
  
“A look-alike? Doppelganger? Ghost? Evil twin?” Armin suggests.  
  
“Aren’t evil twins the sexier twin?” Jean asks.  
  
“Isn't Levi sexy enough as he is?” Three sets of eyes swivel to look at Eren.  
  
“I thought you said you weren’t gay.” Jean pouts (in a manly manner).  
  
“I’m not.”  
  
“He’s not.”  
  
“Thank you, Mikasa.”  
  
\- - -

Armin carefully goes through the swim club’s official facebook page on his phone, hunting for a photo of Levi.  
  
“Are there any? Of Levi?”  
  
“Armin, doesn’t she look familiar?”  
  
“None of Levi. Oh, that's Hanji. You remember her, Mikasa? She‘s a year older.”  
  
“Wait, I remember this guy too. Auruo.”  
  
“Who’s the team captain?“  
  
“Erwin Smith.”

“Why aren’t there any photos of Levi?”  
  
“Maybe he only got back this year? Try outs aren’t for another two weeks, Eren.”  
  
“Are you going to join the club?”  
  
Eren doesn’t answer.  
  
\- - -

“So, Eren. Tonight. You. Me. Yes?”  
  
“What is it, Jean? Can’t you speak properly?”  
  
“Let’s race. Tonight.”  
  
“No.”  
  
“Are you scared?”  
  
“Of Mr. Shadis? Yes. Have you already forgotten last night’s ass reaming, and today’s two hour detention with complimentary 10 laps around the field?”  
  
“We were too loud last night. Besides, a friend on the team told me that Shadis was only there last night because of a meeting. Practice officially ends by evening, and members don’t usually stay until night, especially if there’s no practice for the day, which there isn't, today.”  
  
“Don’t you want to swim, Eren?” _‘Not you too, Armin.’_  
  
“The indoor pool is really big. Unlike our tub.”  
  
 _Damn it._  
  
\- - -

(Later that evening)  
  
They sneak in for the second time by climbing the fence, and, unlike the previous night, quietly make their way through the school grounds. Eren starts to strip before they even make it there, as soon as the sports complex housing the basketball courts and indoor pools come into view.  
  
“Eren, no!”  
  
“What the hell is wrong with you, Yeager? We’re not swimming yet.”  
  
“You said there's wouldn’t be anyone around today!”

“That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be careful!”  
  
“What if we get caught again?“ Mikasa asks.  
  
“Well, YOLO.” Jean replies with a straight face.  
  
Eren strips down to his tiny, black Speedo, regardless of his friends’ insincere attempts to discourage him from doing so.  
  
“Aren’t you cold?” Armin asks.  
  
“Look at his nipples.” Jean adds.  
  
“Quit staring at my nipples!”  
  
“Well, put on a shirt!”  
  
“If Eren doesn’t want to put on his shirt, it’s fine.”  
  
“Thank you, Mikasa.”  
  
“You look like a manwhore, though.” Jean grumbles.  
  
“The expensive kind.” Mikasa, supportive as always.  
  
“Thank you, Mikasa.”

They wait in a nearby store room, passing the time by gossipping about their classmates and teachers, while snacking on junk food. Jean occasionally pesters Eren about joining the swim team. _(“Come on, Eren. Chicks dig athletes.” “Come on, Eren. I hear the team orgies are amazing.” “Come on, Eren. Come for me. Come.”)_

Eren doesn’t budge, and eventually falls asleep on Mikasa’s lap. Jean looks on jealously. (Of who, he isn’t sure, and doesn’t want to know.) Armin silently observes his friends with a smile, taking candid shots of them on his camera phone when they aren’t looking. By 9p.m., they wake Eren up before carefully making their way to the first indoor pool. The doors aren’t locked.  
  
“We’re finally here, Yeager. Are you ready to -”  
  
Eren dives in, ignoring Jean.  
  
“You idiot, Eren, come back up here! We're supposed to race.”  
  
“I told you I don’t care about that, Jean!”  
  
Jean quickly strips down to his jammer and jumps in after Eren, while Armin slowly sets his clothes to the side before diving in. Mikasa sighs dreamily as she watches Eren blissfully drift through the water on his muscular back, almost naked were it not for that tiny, stretchy, black triangle over his crotch. God bless Speedos.  
  
“You guys, I hear something.” Armin warns.  
  
The four of them quiet down and impatiently wait as footsteps echo and then stop outside the door, before the handle turns. A familiar figure steps through and throws a gym bag on to the nearest bench. Eren pushes himself out of the pool and quickly strides over.  
  
"Levi!"  
  
He slaps Eren’s hand off his arm. "Didn’t I tell you last night you aren’t allowed here, you shitty brats."  
  
"Levi, I .."  
  
Eren’s words trail off as Levi finally turns to face him, leaning in to softly whisper into Eren’s ear as he slowly pulls the zip of his jacket down, eyes never leaving Eren, reminiscent of the first time they met.  
  
"Or do you want to race, Yeager? How about it?"  
  
Eren remembers this fondly. The few inches of height between them, the gray cat-like eyes, the soft but firm tone of voice that sometimes shocks with its vulgarity.

 _But Eren remembers this too._ The thrilling competitive tension between them, together with the graceful strength radiating off Levi‘s small frame. It’s the same as it used to be, three years ago. But even more compelling. There’s an edge to Levi now that wasn’t there when they were kids. The urge to just give in and dive, fight, chase, or even drown - whatever Levi wants, is back at full force. _Eren’s heart skips a beat._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will be more serious. But the chapter after that will be crack.


	3. Distant Memories of a Loss

**CHAPTER 2 - Distant Memories of a Loss**

(3 years ago)  
  
“Eren, I won’t be swimming here from next week onwards.”

“Why not?” His voice shakes a little.  
  
“I'll be training abroad with a professional coach.”  
  
“What about the relay?”  
  
“That's next week. I’ll be leaving right after. Listen, brat. You have to swim the relay. It might be our last chance to swim together. I’ll prove to you, there’s an even more thrilling power to be found in grace and speed, and not just brute strength.”  
  
“I … alright.” _‘Don’t go, please.’_ “Levi, I’ll miss you.”  
  
“Stop crying, you shitty brat! It’s not like I’m never coming back.”

Eren raises his wet eyes to meet Levi's bittersweet smile.  
  
\- - -

  
It’s 2.20a.m. when Levi’s phone chimes with an incoming message. He sets the squirt bottle of disinfectant down beside the wipe cloth, then gently pulls the rubber glove off his right hand before reaching to thumb open the message from Hanji.  
  
 _A little birdie told me you had a race with titan boy._  
  
Levi calmly places his phone right at the centre of his desk, before deliberately tipping over three towering stacks of colour co-ordinated notes and two piles of books. He takes a deep breath, counts to ten in English, to twenty in French, to thirty in Mandarin, then bends over to slowly pick them up, one by one, dust them off, and stack them up again in neat piles, all at precise right angles to the desk.

He decides it isn’t enough and knocks over his neatly folded, freshly laundered pile of jammers a second later.

“Shitty brat! Why won’t he fight back?”

\- - -  
  
Mikasa cracks the bathroom door open to peek in on Eren. His gaze feverish and his face scrunched up in frustration, he grunts as he sinks his body lower into the water. Suddenly, he lets out a pained groan. Worried, Mikasa dashes in.  
  
“Eren! Are you hurt?”  
  
 “Fuck, Mikasa! Can't you knock?”  
  
“You sounded like you were in pain, I was worried.”  
  
He clenches his fists and blinks at her, looking plenty shocked and a little confused. As if summoning the gods to grant him strength to make it through the conversation, he closes his eyes and grits his teeth.  
  
“Well. You know. I’m fine. Now go away. I need to finish this.”  
  
“Finish what?”  
  
“… You know.” He lifts one hand to make awkward, jerky movements.  
  
Comprehension dawns on Mikasa. She quickly shuts the door with a blush, but makes no move to walk away from where she stands rooted outside the bathroom with her ear glued to the door.

She thinks, _‘Eren is so adorable_ ’ just about the same time Eren thinks _‘Fuck, I’m surrounded by perverts.’_  
  
\- - -  
  
When Mr. Shadis hears of their little adventure the next day, Armin, in an attempt to save their little asses, suffers another bout of verbal diarrhoea.  
  
“In ancient China during the Shang dynasty, Duke Tai of Qi would fish without any bait. Also, there were legends of large human-like creatures, with no genitals. They were called ‘titans,’ or ‘dickless fatties’ and it was said that they ate humans-”  
  
“I fucking hate fish.” Shadis spits out, interrupting Armin.  
  
“I know right? Grilled meat is the bomb, sir.” Jean face palms at Eren’s exclamation.  
  
“Not now, Eren.” Mikasa murmurs.

An ominous aura suddenly surrounds Mr. Shadis. He stands to his full height, cracks his knuckles, and just as he’s about to “rip you fucking brats some new assholes,” (at this point, Jean pees his pants a little) Mr. Pixis stops him with a friendly pat on the shoulder.  
  
The four of them gulp and make puppy eyes at their saviour.  
  
“Shadis, if the kids are so desperate for a swim, how about letting them join the team? We could always use some fresh talent.”  
  
“What about it, brats? Do you think you have the balls to make the team? This isn’t some fun-fun kiddy pool. Training is military.”  
  
“So, are you kids interested?” Eren swears he sees Mr. Pixis eyes gleam.

“The team orgies are legendary. Hell yeah, MOFO.” Jean shrugs.  
  
“Mikasa?” Armin turns to look at her.  
  
“I just want to stay by Eren’s side, always.”  
  
“I .. want to feel free.” Eren lovingly gazes into the abyss that is the teacher‘s office.  
  
“Kids these days.” Mr. Shadis grumbles.  
  
“No skinny dipping allowed I‘m afraid, boy.” Mr. Pixis smiles at Eren’s nonsensical answer.

“That’s not it sir, I want to feel free when I swim. I want to feel the water. And that’s why, sir, I’m sick of it! I want to annihilate the competition, and save humanity from all this bullshit -"  
  
Eren’s friends watch on with horror at his train wreck of a speech, questioning if their joint decision to make Eren do his own homework instead of letting him copy off them was a step too harsh. It’s hard to justify helping someone who chooses on their own free will to spend four hours of their free time in a tub all day, allegedly doing nothing _("I bet he jerks off all day." "Eren wouldn't do that, Jean. I think.")_.  
  
"-I want, I want to annihilate the titans!”

Silence. Eren's friends question his sanity.  
  
Mr. Pixis suddenly bursts out with a hearty laugh and pats Eren on the back, so hard that he stumbles a little from the impact.  
  
“Well, I don’t doubt your passion, kid. Even if that barely made any sense. I assume you mean our number one rival, Maria High’s champion swim team, The Titans? Every single one of them, built like brick shithouses. Their girls look like men, and their boys look like freaks…” He shakes his head.

 _‘Wait, what?’_  
  
“… Why they chose nude tones for their official uniform, I’ll never know. Flesh coloured Speedos make the bunch of them look like they have no dicks. And the patterned, blood-red, long-sleeved jammers make the girls look like they’re just flesh and no skin.

But first, you kids should at least know what competition you’re up against in our own school. I suggest the four of you head down to the pool after class today to take a look at our training regiment. I’ll let captains Smith and Zoe know you kids have permission to watch, but I‘m afraid you can‘t swim unless you‘re a member. After that, decide amongst yourselves if you want to join. Male and female members train together, but since this is a prestigious school known for its swimming, there’ll be a lot of people trying out. Deliberation among the coaches and senior members will also take time, so try outs are normally divided into two sessions. The first round is in about two weeks, the second in three.”  
  
 _‘Titans.’_ Eren’s head spins. _‘This must be fate.’_  
  
\- -  -

“What was with that Levi guy last night?” Jean asks.  
  
“Yeah, he was really cold, wasn’t he, Eren? It’s been three years since we last met and he was practically ignoring the rest of us. And if he wasn’t, he kept telling us to leave. He‘s always been a little hard to approach, but I‘ve never seen him that cold before.” Armin remarks.  
  
“Do you know why he's back, Eren? I thought he was training abroad.”  
  
 _‘I don’t know.’_  
  
“I wonder why he's changed so much. Do you think something happened?”  
  
 _‘I don’t know. I want to speak to him too.‘_  
  
“Do you think he’ll be in the swim club?”

“Is that all you care about, Jean?”  
  
“Are you going to join, Eren?” Mikasa asks gently.  
  
 _‘I need to see him. I need to talk to him.’_  
  
“Whatever, I'll do it.”  
  
“Yes, Eren! Speedo boy! YOLO, right? I always knew that shit about you quitting was just that - shit.” Jean fist pumps.  
  
“If Eren joins, so will I.”  
  
“Are you sure, Eren? I’ll join too, but Mikasa, you don’t even know how to swim.”

“I’m hungry.” Eren mutters to himself.  
  
“Hey, guys! Remember me?” Hanji jogs up to them with a tall blonde guy in tow, a perpetually condescending scowl on his face. _‘Auruo?’_

 _\- - -_  
  
They four of them, together with Hanji and Auruo seat themselves across one another at lunch. Eren daydreams about skipping school, going home, grilling some meat, and drowning himself in the tub. Auruo looks like he wants something along those lines as well, and the only thing keeping him there with a bunch of freshmen are the regular kicks to his shin from Hanji.  
  
“I’m the girls’ team captain, and Petra is my vice-captain. Erwin is the boys’ team captain, Mike is his ‘official’ vice-captain.” Hanji’s smile is mysterious.  
  
“Official?” Eren caught her teasing tone on that word.  
  
“Erwin has an unofficial vice-captain. We jokingly call him ‘lance corporal.’ He’s not officially on the team, and he doesn’t usually join us for practice. Erwin somehow convinced coaches Shadis and Pixis to allow him permission to use the pool as long as he doesn’t interfere with practice.”  
  
Eren’s grip on his pizza tightens. His fingers dig past the melting, hot cheese to lodge themselves in the even hotter sauce, but he doesn’t feel any of it. Mikasa sighs and places a napkin below his hand to stop the dripping from dirtying the table.  
  
“That’s Levi, right?”

“Yes.” Hanji’s smile widens. There’s a mischievous glint in her eyes. “Are you joining the team, Eren?”

 _\- - -_  
  
(After school)  
  
“Look, I still have the photos of when you guys won the relay, three years ago.”  
  
Hanji hands her phone over to Eren. Auruo stands a few feet away from them and feigns disinterest. The rest of the three crowd around Eren to peer at the small screen. In the picture, Auruo and Mike are hoisting the trophy up. Eren has his arms around Levi in a loose hug. Everyone is smiling at the camera, except Levi who has his face turned to look at Eren.  
  
“You look so cute, Eren.” Mikasa and her one track mind.  
  
“Everyone looks so happy.”  
  
“Everyone. Except that Levi guy.” Jean snorts.  
  
“Well, shortie looks mean, but he’s always smiling on the inside.” Hanji laughs.  
  
“That sounds ridiculous. You’re making him out to sound like some sort of pervert.” Auruo finally deigns to acknowledge their existence.  
  
“I think our little Levi has some D/s tendencies, yes.”  
  
About to interrupt her, Auruo accidentally bites his tongue at Hanji’s casual remark.  
  
“What’s D/s?” Eren asks with a frown as he hands the phone back to Hanji.  
  
“Eren, no!” Mikasa covers his ears.

“Anyway, how long has Levi been back? Has he been back to visit ever since he left?”  
  
“He transferred mid-semester last year. And I think he came back at least once or twice each year he wasn‘t around.”  
  
“Really? He never told us. That’s mean.” Armin adds.  
  
Eren grits his teeth.  
  
Hanji sighs dramatically. “He never came looking for me too. I bumped into him once, and I only found out about the other times because, ah - Petra!”  
  
Eren recognizes her. She’s a pretty second year student who patted each one of them on the backs, (“There, there. He’s actually really nice once you get used to the language.”) when they passed each other by as they were leaving the teacher’s office the first time Mr. Shadis caught them and stomped on their little, freshmen hearts. They must’ve made a pathetic sight. Armin was whimpering. Jean had his hands suspiciously over his crotch (Author's note: Not a boner, he peed himself). Eren looked perfectly normal, were it not for the tears freely flowing down his face. Even Mikasa’s lips were trembling.

“As I suspected. You guys are the ones sneaking in to the pools at night, right? Hanji told me how you guys used to train together. Have you been competing in middle school as well?”  
  
At that question, Eren hastily turns to look away. “I’m going to go get a drink, guys. Practice doesn’t start for another ten minutes right? I’ll be back before that.”  
  
The five of them silently watch him walk away with an agitated gait. Even Jean and Hanji remain uncharacteristically quiet.  
  
“Ah, was it something I said?” Petra smiles sheepishly.  
  
“No, it’s alright. Uhm. Eren and I were in the middle school team for awhile, but neither of us swam competitively. Eren swam a few races during his first year, but suddenly decided that he wanted to stop. That’s about it. We stopped attending the swim classes down at the centre where Hanji and the rest go about that time too.”  
  
“What made him stop?” Jean breaks his silence.  
  
“I don’t know. He didn’t want to talk about it. Did he tell you, Mikasa?”  
  
She shakes her head.  
  
“There was no place else with an available pool nearby, so we simply stopped swimming.” Armin goes on.

“Well, we have the same problem with Levi. Out of the blue, he came back, transferred into this school with its well known reputation for the swim team, but then refuses to join. He hasn’t been competing, either, though he uses the pools for practice almost every night. Speaking of which, what happened last night?” Hanji suddenly turns to stare at Armin.  
  
“You mean, the race between Eren and Levi?”  
  
 “He was really upset today. Did he lose?”  
  
Eren leans against the wall in the dark, behind the corner, bitterly listening in on their conversation but out of their line of sight.  
  
 _‘Last night…’_

  
TBC

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Be a good boy for me, Eren](https://archiveofourown.org/works/916220) by [mordere](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mordere/pseuds/mordere)




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